Link Building through Social Media = Linkbait

When we began tossing around the term Link bait 2-3 years ago, I thought of it in very broad terms. Tools, articles, games, lists, surveys, cartoons, webcams, interactives and videos were just a few of the possibilities for web things that could entice other website owners to link to your website. Getting the word out about these juicies was done in the usual ways - email blasts, press releases, ppc ads, etc.

Somewhere along the way, however, linkbait became synonymous with using Social sites (like Digg, Reddit, StumbleUpon and oh so many more) to promote linkables.

What happened? Well, while some web marketers were snoozing, industry innovators discovered that an exceptional piece of content, crafted to be highly appealing to certain powerful online communities, had the potential to attract hundreds, perhaps even thousands of links to a website within a few short months. This is a force none of us can afford to ignore.

First, you must become an active and accepted part of the community(s) you wish to gain links from.  There are no substitutes for sincerity, enthusiasm and participation. Put in your time, learn the ropes and make connections.

Then, create original content intended to attract the attention and approval of community members and introduce it on the target website. If the readers like it, they’ll vote for it (digg, sphinn, etc. ) and share it in whatever ways the website enables. Popular items tend to become more and more popular, while unpopular ones quickly fade into oblivion. If enough of the original readers - or the most influential of the original readers - link to it, it can then gain momentum as it travels further out along the viral chain.

As with most things, it’s a lot tougher than it sounds. The success rate is an issue. The pros estimate that only 20% to 50% of campaigns attract enough links to be worthwhile. But, when you do score with successful linkbait, the payoff is worth more than all of the failures. Therefore, you need to commit to a series of 5 to 10 linkbait efforts and not just try 1 or 2.

Investigate the best social web sites for your niche. Register, upload, profile, tag, vote, share and join in the fun anyway you can. When you’re comfortable with the playing field, go for it!